It is possible to improve the performance and efficiency of an internal combustion engine by regulating the flow of air into a combustion chamber. One way in which to maintain a more uniform flow of air is to provide a valve in the intake of the engine to throttle air flow. Such valves, commonly referred to as flapper valves or butterfly valves, are generally constructed from a metal shaft to which metal flaps are welded or riveted for rotation with the shaft. An alternative construction is a shaft and flaps made of a continuous piece of plastic. In either type of valve construction, bearings are required for rotationally supporting the shaft. Typical bearings, in particular bushings, used for supporting flapper valves are either a split two-piece type bearing installed after the valve is constructed, or a single piece bearing that is slipped onto the shaft prior to attaching the flaps to the shaft. Such designs thus require several steps to assemble and/or install in an intake and therefore involve increased labor cost.